Signal for sectional conductors.



PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905. 1-". B. CASE, SIGNALIPOR SEGTIONAL GONDUGTORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1904.

INVENTOR WITNESSES e 3 WW, M M Z W UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK noAsE, or. S'OHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

f SIGNAL FOR SECTIONAL' CONDUCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1905.

Application filed May 21,1904. Serial No. 209,109.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. CASE, a citi- 'zen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State. of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signals for Sectional Conductors, of which the following is a specito span from one section to another, and con- I seguently when one section is grounded there is anger unless safe uards are provided that the train will pass cuit-breaker or blowing the se on the live section and cutting it out of circuit. In order to prevent this, it has been suggested heretofore to employ a signal at the entrance to each section, the signal being connected to show whether the section is dead or alive. This furnishes sufficient protection against the train entering the dead section from a live one, but it does not provide against the following contingency: It is possible that a section may become grounded while a train 4 is on that section,and if the motorman has the power shut off and the train is coasting he will receive no indication that the section has become grounded'and dead. If he allows histrain to coast onto the following section which is alive, the section which he is entering will be short-circuited through the one which he is leaving.

My invention consists in guarding against this contingency by providing at the j unction Y of each two sections-a signal which shall give om a live section to a grounded section, thereby o ening the cireither from a live section onto a dead section, or vice versa.

. My'invention will best be understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a system of signals for sectionalized third rail arranged in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 shows a modified form of signal.-

In Fig. 1, R R represent the rails of an electric road the power for which is supplied through the sections T, T, and T of a third rail. The several sections are connected to the generator or power station G through the switches s, s, and s and their respective feeders. carried by a. moving train and adapted to en gage the sections of the third rail. M represents amagnetwinding having one terminal connected to the section T and its other terminal connected to earth through the armature of the relay m the winding of which is connected between the section T and earth.

A represents a signal-arm which is held in the safety position as long as the magnet- -winding M is energized. With this arrangement it will be seen that if either section T or T becomes grounded or is cut out from the ower-station the magnet-winding M will be eenergized and will allow the signal-arm A to fall to danger, thereby giving indication that one ofthe two sections is dead.

.Many difierent forms of signahcontrolling devices may be used other than that shown. The two magnet-windings may be combined ina single me'chanism-as, for instance, in a differential solenoid or a device of the wattmeter type. The latter is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. Stationary winding N is connected between section T and earth, while the movable winding n, which carries the signal-arm A, is connected between section T and earth. A denergizing of either of the two windings will allow the signal-arm A to drop. l

Although I have shown a simple signal- C '0 represent the collector-shoes modifications which are within the spirit and sccjpfilof my mventlon.

at I claim as new, and desire to secure a by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In combination with a sectional conductor, magnet-windings connected to adjacent sections of said conductor, and a signal controlled by said windings and operative upon a denergizing of either winding.

2. In combination with a sectional conductor, an electroresponsive signaling devicehaving windings connected to adjacent sections of said conductor and operative upon a denergizing of either of said windings.

3. In an electric railway, a sectional third rail, and an electroresponsive signaling de vice having windings connected to adjacent sections of said third rail and. operative upon a deenergizing of either or both of said windings.

4. In an electric railway, a sectional third rail, and an electroresponsive signaling device connected to adjacent sections thereof and o erative upon a deenergizing of either of sai sections.

5. In an electric railway, a sectional third rall, and an electroresponslve signaling device having two wlndings connected respectively between adjacent sections of said third rail and the opposite polarity of the system and operative upon a denergizing of either or both windings.

6. In combination with a sectional conductor, a source of current-supply, means forconnecting the sections of said conductor to one terminal of said source of supply, an electrical connection between each of a plurality of sections and the other terminal of said source of supply, a signal, and an electromagnetic controlling apparatus for said signal having a Winding in each of said latter connections.

7. In an electric railway, a sectional third rail, a source '01"- current-supply, m cans for connecting the sections of said third rail to one terminal of said source of supply, electrical connections between each of two adjacent sections and the other terminal of said source of supply, a signal, and an electromagnetic controlling apparatus for said signal having a Winding in each of said latter connections In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of May, 1904.

FRANK E. CASE.

Witnesses:

BENZAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD. 

